The role of mind in autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases remain a mystery to science. So far their symptoms and their development are known but ignored what produces them and most of them can be treated, but not cured.

There are hypotheses about this, but none of them is fully tested. What is known is that the mind plays an important role in these pathologies.

There are relatively well-known autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, 

Fibromyalgia, Type 1 Diabetes, Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and others are a little less recurrent Guillaime-Barré Syndrome, among others.

• "There is nothing in the mind that has not been in the senses before."

Aristotle-

What is unique about autoimmune diseases is the fact they are the result of a body attack on itself. The organism behaves as if the antigens themselves were invading viruses and attacks them. In other words, the recognition system fails to recognize among self and foreign elements. This happens in people who are perfectly healthy and "science" still does not know why.

AUTOMATIC DISEASES AND PSYCHOSOMATIC MECHANISMS

Science points out that autoimmune diseases are the result of multiple factors, within which genetics play an important role. 

However, so far there is no compelling evidence that this is so. 

On the other hand, it has been proved that the mind has a decisive role in such pathologies, especially in what is the subjective experience that produces the disease.

Currently autoimmune diseases are approached by most professionals as psychosomatic diseases. This means that these are evils that have their origin in the mind and that take shape through the body.

There are different approaches to this. "Some argue that it is an essential inability to verbalize emotions." Others indicate that it is a response that expresses an emotional imbalance. It is also addressed as a "bodily delirium," whose antecedent is depression, or as a response to an insoluble conflict. Illness is an alibi to escape from outstanding problems. Where the sick is his own executioner !!

Whatever the approach, the truth is that the common point is the verification that there are realities that exist in the minds of people and that find a way of manifestation through disease in the body.

AFFECTS ON AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

Autoimmune diseases set in motion a mechanism of self-destruction. 

It is the body itself that stops recognizing the antigens that belong to it and begins to self-attack, as if what it carries within itself is threatening or dangerous.

The mind is so important in these processes, that even a new discipline has arisen to treat these evils, which is known as psychoneuroimmunology.

Thus, the truth is that autoimmune diseases are not only chronic, they are also incapacitating and can lead a person to death, that happens if the person, instead of rejecting the symptom or disease, heed it. 

Which means ... The symptom is "a visible expression" of an "invisible process" ... it is a signal that makes us stop to make an inquiry. An internal inquiry

What we must eliminate is not the symptom, but the cause .... Therefore, if we want to discover that it points to the symptom, we must not focus on it, but look beyond. 

If man understood the greatness and dignity of disease and death, he would see the ridiculousness of combating it. 

The disease indicates that the individual Has ceased to be in equilibrium, his mind or consciousness in order or harmony, ... this loss of internal balance 

The symptom tells us that something fails ... 

The symptom is how the teacher helps us to understand our knowledge, a teacher who It will get harsh if we refuse to learn the hardest lessons ...

Studies suggest that people with this type of illness usually have a high level of depression, but this is not always obvious. In other words, it may even be someone who is smiling and vital, but deep down there is a great dissatisfaction that, generally, he himself does not recognize.

Another of the frequent features is a certain inability to recognize one's own emotions. Either because of an excessive intellectualization or rationalization of the situations or because they are people who want to have everything under control and experience the affections as threats to their autonomy.

Autoimmune diseases are insidious and noticeably impair quality to life. They are often painful, difficult to assimilate and unpromising. The worst thing is that those who suffer from it go to the doctor for answers and, in general, only find silence and palliative, not always effective, for their suffering. 

Medicine avoids the "interpretation" of the symptom and with it the "signal" what it means ...

Although this has been rethinking, the West has imposed the idea that mind and body are disconnected and sometimes even conflicting realities. However, it is increasingly clear that health and well-being are integral concepts, in which the physical plane as much as the mental plane is as important.

The way out for a person with an autoimmune disease is precisely to stop believing that it is a pill, a vitamin or some miracle doctor that will restore their health.

It is not that you should not go to these solutions, but that your basic treatment must have the intervention of a mental health professional.

All diseases have an emotional and mental component involved, but in autoimmune this factor is absolutely decisive.

Resistance to treating their illness as a psyche is surely the fundamental reason why they find no relief for their physical suffering and even cure themselves.

A resistance that is born of the mistaken idea that the one who suffers a disease with a mental base is because it is not strong enough and is based on an even more misleading idea: this pain is an invention of the patient.

EXAMPLE OF THE AUTO: if we are driving a car and it turns on a light that the car is raising the temperature ... what we do .. ??? We do not give importance ... because the car will end up being destroyed .... The logical thing is that we stop, and observe what is happening ... so that it is not destroyed ...

The symptom or illness is a light .. that must stop us to observe beyond what we see.

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Depression and anxiety are signs of struggle, not weakness

Emotional problems are not a choice, and no one wants to go through a depression or go through moments of anxiety. They can simply arise after a period of accumulating complicated situations and circumstances.

- 

There is a false belief that anxiety and depression are signs of weakness and incapacity for life. But no, a person with anxiety, depression or mixed symptoms is NOT crazy or weak, weak or inferior.

It is sad and exhausting to fight with this, but it is a social reality that we can not ignore. Thus, despite the advances of science, the modern unconscious that envelops our society still thinks that emotional and psychological problems are synonymous with fragility and vulnerability.

That is why, since depression and anxiety are not seen as wounds that need attention, it is common to hear circular speeches with arguments such as "relax", "is not so much", "begins to espabilar, life is not this "," You have no reason to cry "," begins to mature ", etc.

They ring us, right? In fact, it is probable that at some point we have been executioners or victims of this type of speech. That is why it is crucial to carry out an awareness exercise and give emotional pain the importance it has.

So, just as we would not think of ignoring the pain that causes severe stinging in the stomach or a great migraine, we should not miss the emotional pain.

We can not let these emotional wounds heal simply, but we must work on them and extract the meaning of their symptoms.

That is, we must go to a psychologist who helps us and provides strategies to deal with that great emotional pain generated by anxiety and depression.

Following our example, just as we stop consuming lactose if we discover that we are intolerant, we must "stop consuming" those thoughts and circumstances that infect our emotional wound.

Bandages or patches are not worth: we must clean and clean them.

That is why in this article we try to normalize those feelings of people who suffer emotional problems of this type. Let's see more about this to understand and raise awareness ...

Anxiety, a Nefarious Journey on a Roller Coaster

The feelings that we suffer with the anxiety are very similar to those that are generated in the trip of a roller coaster in which we begin to find us wrong.

Let's put ourselves in position. We went to spend the day at an amusement park in which there is an appetizing roller coaster in which we decided to ride. To do this we have to wait for a large line until our turn comes.

The day is hot and the sun is striking strongly in our head, which causes us great pain and physical discomfort.We feel tired and we do not feel like climbing the wagon, but we do, because we are there to enjoy.

Once we get up our heart begins to throb, everything revolves around us, the wagons turn 360º several times, we submerge in dark tunnels and the balloons seem to attack us.

Our breathing is accelerated and our heart can not stop. We feel that from moment to moment it will give us something. Our sensations are disordered, something imprisoned in our chest, we remain motionless and unresponsive.

We can not avoid thinking negative. We scream, we cry and we complain, but nobody hears us, not even us. We desperately asked to stop and felt die in the attempt.

However, we do not get our wagon to brake, as this will only stop when the minutes that were scheduled for the trip pass.

In this sense, an anxiety attack is just like an unlucky trip on a roller coaster. It is going to stop, but we do not know when or how, so keeping control of that uncertainty is complicated.

Depression, darkness of the soul

Those who suffer from depression feel that everything is wrapped in darkness. Little by little, he loses his enthusiasm for what surrounds him, there is nothing that encourages or motivates him, has difficulty studying or going to work and is immensely sad or irritable.

  

Depression is the drop that fills the glass, a glass that is up to the top of complicated situations and circumstances that have made a dent in us and that dislocate us.

That is why it is important that, once we realize that something is wrong, we turn to a professional who supports us and gives emotional coherence to what happens to us.

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Does Marijuana Help or Hurt Cirrhosis?

Overview of Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the late stage of scarring, or fibrosis, of the liver. It can be caused by a variety of conditions, including hepatitis and chronic alcohol abuse. The scarring associated with cirrhosis develops in response to damage done to the liver and it cannot be undone. The liver is responsible for detoxifying harmful substances within your body and cleaning your blood and making vital nutrients, but the scarring that develops makes it difficult for the liver to function properly. When cirrhosis is advanced, it can be life threatening. If diagnosed and treated early, however, further damage can be limited and prevented.

According to Mayo Clinic, some causes of cirrhosis are inherited, like iron buildup, cystic fibrosis, and genetic digestive disorder, while other causes occur later in life, like chronic alcohol abuse, hepatitis c, hepatitis b and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Patients with cirrhosis commonly experience fatigue, easy bleeding and bruising, itchy skin, loss of appetite and nausea, leg swelling, weight loss, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, and red spider-like blood vessels on the skin.

Treatment for cirrhosis is dictated by the extent of the liver damage upon diagnosis. The goals are to slow further scar tissue progression and prevent or treat associated symptoms. In some cases, if a liver ceases to function, a liver transplant may be required.

Findings: Effects of Cannabis on Cirrhosis

Research regarding cannabis and its potential impact on cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases is complex. The two major cannabinoids found in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) bind with or influence the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) of the endocannabinoid system within the body. Previous studies had actually implicated action of CB1 in the progression of cirrhosis, fibrosis, and other liver diseases. However, CB2 receptor activation has shown beneficial effects on alcoholic fatty liver, hepatic inflammation, liver injury, regeneration and fibrosis and CBD has. Therefore, research suggests that using cannabis to selectively activate the CB2 receptor offers therapeutic potential for cirrhosis and other liver diseases (Mallat, et al., 2011).

Studies suggest that CBD can help combat cirrhosis progression by assisting in the death of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). When HSCs are activated, they proliferate and produce excess collagen, which causes the accumulation of scarring on the liver. CBD’s activation of the CB2 receptors, however, has been shown to be effective at inducing apoptosis (death) in these activated HSCs (Lim, Devi & Rozenfeld, 2011). Cannabidiol has also been shown to restore liver function in mice experiencing liver failure (Abraham, et al., 2011).

Findings also support that CBD can serve as a protective strategy against ischemia reperfusion, the pivotal mechanism of tissue damage in cirrhosis, by reducing the force of key inflammatory pathways and oxidative/nitrative tissue injury. These effects of CBD are independent of their impact on the CB2 receptors (Mukhopadhyay, Rajesh & Pacher, 2011).

CBD has also proven effective at protecting the liver from steatosis caused by alcohol drinking by preventing an increase in oxidative stress and the autophagy induced by alcohol, thus protecting the liver from progressive damage (Yang, et al., 2014).

Cannabis may also serve helpful in managing symptoms associated with cirrhosis. Cannabis has long been known to limit or prevent nausea and vomiting from a variety of causes (Sharkey, Darmani & Parker, 2014) (Parker, et al., 2015). In addition, if cirrhosis patients are suffering from a loss of appetite, medical marijuana has demonstrated effective at increasing appetite and stabilizing body weight (Beal, et al., 1995).

States That Have Approved Medical Marijuana for Cirrhosis

No states have approved medical marijuana specifically for the treatment of cirrhosis. However, states have approved cannabis to treat some symptoms commonly associated with cirrhosis.

Currently, 17 states have approved medical marijuana specifically for the treatment of nausea. These states include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

In addition, for those cirrhosis patients also experiencing extreme weight loss or cachexia, 20 states have approved medical marijuana for treatment. These states include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

A number of other states will consider allowing medical marijuana to be used for the treatment of cirrhosis with recommendation by a physician. These states include: California (any debilitating illness where the medical use of marijuana has been recommended by a physician), Connecticut (other medical conditions may be approved by the Department of Consumer Protection), Massachusetts (other conditions as determined in writing by a qualifying patient’s physician), Nevada (other conditions subject to approval), Oregon (other conditions subject to approval), Rhode Island (other conditions subject to approval), and Washington (any “terminal or debilitating condition”).

In Washington D.C., any condition can be approved for medical marijuana as long as a DC-licensed physician recommends the treatment.

Recent Studies on Cannabis’ Effect on Cirrhosis

• CBD shown to kill the hepatic stellate cells that are responsible for the accumulation of scarring on the liver.
  Cannabidiol causes activated hepatic stellate cell death through a mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis.
  (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168994/)

• Cannabidiol was able to restore normal liver function in mice experiencing liver failure.
  Cannabidiol improves brain and liver function in a fulminant hepatic failure-induced model of hepatic encephalopathy in mice.
  (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057300/)

References:

1. Avraham, Y., Grigoriadis, N., Poutahidis, T., Vorobiev, L., Magen, I., Ilan, Y., Mechoulam, R., and Berry, E. (2011, April). Cannabidiol improves brain and liver function in a fulminant hepatic failure-induced model of hepatic encephalopathy in mice. British Journal of Pharmacology, 162(7), 1650-8. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057300/.
2. Beal, J.E., Olson, R., Laubenstein, L., Morales, J.O., Bellman, P., Yangco, B., Lefkowitz, L, Plasse, T.F. and Shephard, K.V. (1995, February). Dronabinol as a treatment for anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS. Journal of Pain and System Management, 10(2), 89-97. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/WJvaxy.
3. (2014, August 16). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cirrhosis/basics/definition/con-20031617.
4. (2014, November 20). MedlinePlus. Retrieved from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000255.htm.
5. Lim, M.P., Devi, L.A., and Rozenfeld, R. (2011). Cannabidiol causes activated hepatic stellate cell death through a mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis. Cell Death & Disease. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168994/.
6. Mallat, A., Teixeira-Clerc, F., Deveaux, V., Manin, S., and Lotersztajn, S. (2011, August). The endocannabinoid system as a key mediator during liver diseases: new insights and therapeutic openings. British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7), 1432-40. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165953/.
7. Mukhopadhyay, P., Monanraj, R., and Pacher, P. (2011, May 15). Cannabidiol protects against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury by attenuating inflammatory signaling and response, oxidative/nitrative stress, and cell death. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 50(10), 1368-1381. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3081988/.
8. Parker, L.A., Rock, E.M., Sticht, M.A., Wills, K.L., and Limebeer, C.L. (2015). Cannabinoids suppress acute and anticipatory nausea in preclinical rat models of conditioned gaping. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 97(6), 559-61. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/cpt.98/full.
9. Sharkey, KA., Darmani, NA., and Parker, LA. (2014). Regulation of nausea and vomiting by cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system. European Journal of Pharmacology, 722, 134-46. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3883513/.
10. Yang, L., Rozenfeld, R., Wu, D., Devi, LA., Zhang, Z., and Cederbaum, A. (2014, March). Cannabidiol protects liver from binge alcohol-induced steatosis by mechanisms including inhibition of oxidative stress and increase in autophagy. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 68, 260-7. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4112960/.

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This New Cannabis Capsule Is So Potent It Will Replace Every Pain Killer

As more and more people are starting to realize, the pharmaceutical industry is basically one big legal drug ring.

Just as people get addicted to heroin and methamphetamine, pharmaceutical companies push drugs with slightly altered chemical compositions deemed legal by the government.

The one good thing to come of this is the increased demand for natural and alternative treatments that lie outside the domain of ‘Big Pharma.’ One substance in particular has been seen to hold great medicinal potential, and that’s cannabis (marijuana).

In fact, some organizations have started making cannabis-infused products to treat a variety of highly painful ailments and symptoms.

The Foria Relief Company has created vaginal cannabis suppositories using cocoa butter as the perfect alternative to pills like Vicodin, Midol and Ibuprofen. The suppository helps relax muscles, preventing or soothing menstrual cramps.

The cannabis capsule is made from the extract of cannabis flower, all of which are pesticide-free. The active ingredients are processed without microbials and then packaged with a specific mix of 60 mg of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and 10 mg of CBD (cannabidiol).

The combination together creates the perfect effect to relieve pain. The THC helps send happy feelings to the brain, while the CBD helps promote relaxation of the muscles. This helps reduce muscle spasms as well as inflammation.

After taking the suppository, one woman described the area from her waist to her thighs as “floating in some other galaxy.” It helped ease up any clenched, tense muscles and completely got rid of all of the pain in her midsection.

Unfortunately, this product is only purchasable in California at the moment, and it has not been approved by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration). However, if you think this product might be for you, please consult with a doctor before trying it, just to be safe!

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Cannabis Company Designs Pain Patch For Fibromyalgia And Nerve Pain

Cannabis has been used as an all-purpose homeopathic remedy for centuries. Over time, evidence suggests that the plant was an herbal remedy for psycho-neurological disorders, breast cancer, rheumatism,  sexual disorders, and painful complications related to childbirth. Now, this ancient tool has a new, modern application. A cannabis patch is now available for patients with fibromyalgia and diabetic nerve pain.

Cannabis for fibromyalgia & nerve pain

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Fibromyalgia and diabetic neuropathy have a couple of things in common. Both conditions involve seemingly unexplainable pain, tingling, and can drastically reduce your quality of life.
Early research suggests that cannabis may have powerful therapeutic effects for both conditions, and this new pain patch offers a novel new approach for conditions that are incredibly difficult to treat.
A 2014 survey from the National Pain Foundations found that cannabis was considered the most effective pain medication by fibromyalgia patients who were willing to experiment with the herb.
Not all survey respondents had consumed cannabis. However, those that had suggested that the herb worked better at managing pain than the leading prescriptions for fibromyalgia, including Savella, Cymbalta, and Lyrica.
Small human trials of cannabis for diabetic neuropathy have also been successful. A study of 16 patients with diabetic neuropathy of the feet found the herb successfully reduced pain symptoms in a dose-dependant manner. The cannabis plant has successfully reduced nerve pain associated with conditions like multiple sclerosis as well.
While expensive cannabis-based pharmaceuticals are already available in some countries for the treatment of nervous disorders, most canna-curious patients are stuck with topical creams and oral cannabis options, which can be a little strong for the daytime.
Now, one innovative company, Cannabis Science, has released a revolutionary new topical application of cannabis medicines.

Cannabis Science designs an infused pain patch

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Cannabis Science, Inc. is a pharmaceutical research company that works to develop innovative new cannabis medicines. In November of 2016, they announced their most recent project, a transdermal patch that delivers powerful pain-fighting medicine through the skin and into the bloodstream.
The company has two new patches in mind, one for fibromyalgia and one for diabetic neuropathy. While both of these patches will contain cannabinoids, each formulation and delivery method will be designed to most effectively manage symptoms of the respective illness.

In a press release announcing the new pain patch, Cannabis Science CEO Raymond Dabney explains,

The development of these two new pharmaceutical medicinal applications are just the tip of the iceberg for what we see as the future for Cannabis Science.
While we strive to increase our land capacity for growth and facilities to produce our own product to supply our scientists with proprietary materials to make these formulations, we are also busy researching more potential needs for Cannabis related medical applications and developing the methods for delivery of these medications.

Earlier in 2016, Cannabis Science began recruiting for a study on inhaled cannabis preparations for patients with asthma and lung diseases like COPD.
Cannabis Science is also not the first company to look into the transdermal applications of cannabis. Mary’s Medicinals got there first, offering cannabis-infused pain patches to medical cannabis patients in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Michigan, and Oregon. The company also hopes to offer their patches in California soon.

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Dr. Oz Looks at Medical Marijuana as a Potential Cure for Opioid Addiction

Opioid painkiller addiction is the fastest growing drug addiction in the United States today, and it was recently featured on the popular Dr. Oz TV show. Dr. Oz pointed out the astonishing statistics that 48 million Americans, one out of every 5, have reported that they have abused prescription drugs. 12 states have more opioid pain pill prescriptions than people. In states where marijuana is legal, however, opioid prescriptions are declining.

Dr. Oz looks at the question: Is marijuana the new gateway drug OUT of opioid addiction?

Many health practitioners are aware of the current epidemic of opioid addiction from prescribed painkiller drugs. The most popular opioid painkillers prescribed are Oxycontin, Percodan, and Percocet. Of course there are other painkillers in the oxycodone category as well.

All opioids are opiates, derived from the eighty percent (80%) of heroin addicts who were once prescribed opioid drugs for legitimate pain concerns. In the UK, heroin is actually prescribed as a painkiller. Ironically, the synthetic opioid methadone is used to replace heroin among most addicts. It is also prescribed as a painkiller.

Morphine is an opioid painkiller with the longest history of prescription. It is often prescribed for cancer patients in pain. It can actually shut down organ function. Maybe that’s why it is usually prescribed for terminal cancer patients in hospice. 

The Cycle of Addiction to Death from Prescribed Pain Killers

These are the often prescribed drugs that are the foundation of the opioid addiction epidemic. What happens often is a patient is prescribed an opioid pharmaceutical for legitimate pain. After some use, the addiction sets in, a person feels sick if he quits or his prescription is no longer filled because the physician observes the problem creating pain is healed.

But the patient has become so addicted he or she feels there is no way to handle daily living without them. Even while using opioids under doctors’ care, patients usually have to increase dosage in order to handle the same level of pain. As they increase dosages, their inability to do without increases and withdrawal symptoms make it difficult for most to stop.

Increased dosing leads to increased risk of death from overdosing, when opioid drugs cause breathing to halt or the heart to stop pumping. Opioids are the number one killer among prescribed pharmaceutical drugs. Prescribed opioid use has increased 400 percent since 1999, and the drug overdose death toll has increased accordingly.

This is the same phenomenon as heroine overdosing. As a matter of fact, many prescription opioid users who at first turn to opioids sold on the street without prescriptions become heroin users. Street heroin is cheaper than street Oxycontin, for example.

Cannabis: Gateway From Opioid Addiction

Currently, medical marijuana, historically considered the gateway drug to opioids such as heroin and other addictive narcotics, has come forth as a solution for the opioid epidemic. Using cannabis to kick opioid habits effectively and easily has been nicknamed “reefer rehab.”

Dr. Mehmed Oz spotlighted this recently (October 2016) in a Dr. Oz telecast. You can view it here. The focus was on a recovering methadone addict in an informal cannabis camp in Maine who had been hooked on legally prescribed methadone for 10 years.

Dr. Oz’s guest Krishna Andavalu visited a somewhat informal rehab camp using cannabis to follow that one person’s withdrawal from long term methadone use. Dr. Oz and Krishna Andavalu considered the camp an unofficial rehab center operating in a medical marijuana legal state.

Dr. Oz brought up several valid points regarding the inaccessibility of affordable treatment centers for opioid painkiller addicts, most of whom tend to be white middle class. But the fact is even the best rehab centers have a low rate of success and a high rate of recidivism after their few successes. But they make a lot of money, sort of like mainstream oncology’s efforts with cancer.

Doctors in Maine are at the Forefront of Cannabis for Pain and Opioid Withdrawal

Although any positive national exposure on cannabis medicine is welcome, the Oz show could have been a little less conservative from this author’s perspective. Instead, it focused on an informal setting that used cannabis to help addicts, successfully, and ignored the fact that Maine has several physicians and centers using cannabis in highly professional settings.

The doctor most involved with cannabis for kicking opioid addictions using reefer rehab is an osteopathic physician or D.O., Dr. David Sulak, who has been running two Integr8 Health Clinics in Maine and one in nearby Massachusetts. He was not even mentioned.

Dr. Sulak, D.O., and his associates have developed a successful protocol for using cannabis to help opioid addicts withdraw and even help eliminate the pain that had driven them to opioid painkillers. Their success rate is very high.

They also use cannabis for other medical conditions, even analyzing the various complex entourage effects of different strains in their labs to determine which strains work best for different medical maladies.

Dr. Sulak appears to be one of the nation’s leading cannabis doctors in general. He is involved with outreaching to other physicians in medical marijuana legal states and guiding them with successful cannabis applications to other health problems as well.

Dr. Sulak has produced a video of his lengthy live presentation reaching out to other medical practitioners in medical marijuana legal states, which can be accessed from this earlier Health Impact News article’s sources section.

During Dr. Sulak’s intermission, two heads of orthodox rehab centers appeared to confess and confirm the inadequacy of orthodox rehab counseling. They explained how the DEA’s refusal to change cannabis’ Schedule 1 rating has made it impossible for mainstream rehab centers to allow cannabis.

This was corroborated by Dr. Oz’s and Krishna Andavalu’s concern for changing national marijuana laws that would allow more research. Currently, orthodox rehab centers disqualify those who use cannabis to help them get through withdrawal in non-legal medical marijuana states.

Dr. Sulak was also one of medical cannabis experts consulted in the Holistic Cannabis Summit 2016 series promoted on this site. He definitely understands medical cannabis clinically more than most. (Source)

Dr. James Li, M.D., was an E.R. physician who now prescribes cannabis for pain. He also gave a lecture to practicing physicians in Portland, Maine earlier in 2014. Dr. Li showed slides of how cannabis is more effective than opioids or opiates (both the same) for chronic neurological pain among diabetics and MS patients, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and AIDS patients.

These slides were from actual double blind randomized placebo control trials conducted globally in recent years. He also showed figures from various addiction center heads who rated cannabis the least addictive with less dependency issues among other compounds, which included opioids, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.

Another issue Dr. Li addressed was a study that demonstrated cannabis did not require higher dosing even after two years of using it for chronic pain. Opioids and opiate derived painkillers require increased dosages even after a few months, unless used with cannabis. Cannabis increases opioid efficacy without increasing its dosage.

Therein lies the risk of dying from overdosing, which occurs at the rate of one every half-hour nationally. The highly publicized death of musical performer and songwriter Prince was one of them. Even the CDC reports 78 die from opioid overdosing daily in America, of which half are from prescribed painkillers. (Source)

Dr. Li also mentioned that the FDA considers opioids risky and not evidence based for reducing pain, which begs the question why has the FDA approved them for the DEA to consider them of medical use while it refuses to approve cannabis unless it is a synthetically isolated pharmaceutical?

It’s interesting to note another fact from both Maine cannabis doctors: double blind placebo control testing for opioids usually have high dropout rates due to intolerable side effects. Among those tested with cannabis or cannabis extracts, there were no dropouts due to adverse side effects.

Here’s a Colorado pain patient’s personal testimony interview:

As for functionality in the work-a-day world using cannabis for chronic pain, an earlier Health Impact report on a Florida stock broker and medical marijuana activist demonstrates the feasibility of functioning well in the every day world using cannabis for chronic pain relief. (Source)

Source:https://healthimpactnews.com/2016/dr-oz-looks-at-medical-marijuana-as-a-potential-cure-for-opioid-addiction/

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Top 5 benefits of cannabis for diabetes

Consumption Diabetes is the term used to refer to a set of metabolic disorders characterized by high levels of glucose present in the blood of chronic persistent manner. Diabetes affects nearly 400 million people worldwide, resulting in up to five million deaths a year, and its prevalence is increasing. There is substantial evidence that cannabis can prevent and treat the disease.

Diabetes is the term used to refer to a set of metabolic disorders characterized by persistently and persistently elevated levels of glucose in the blood. Diabetes affects nearly 400 million people worldwide, resulting in up to five million deaths a year, and its prevalence is increasing. There is substantial evidence that cannabis can prevent and treat the disease.

Preventive

Diabetes is related to high fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance, as well as to low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) or good cholesterol. In 2013, the results of a five-year study on the effects of cannabis on fasting insulin and on insulin resistance in the American Journal of Medicine were published. Of the 4,657 participants in the study, 2,554 had used cannabis in their lifetime (579 continued to consume and 1,975 had consumed in the past) and 2,103 had never consumed the drug.

The researchers found that those who continued to use cannabis had 16% lower fasting insulin levels than participants who had never used cannabis, 17% lower levels of insulin resistance, and higher levels of HDL-C. Participants who had used cannabis sometime in their lifetime, but did not consume any more, had similar but less pronounced percentages, indicating that the protective effect of cannabis disappears over time.

The researchers also performed an analysis of data that excluded people who had been diagnosed with diabetes. Even after excluding diabetics, those who continued to use cannabis were found to have reduced levels of fasting insulin and insulin resistance, indicating that cannabis can help prevent the onset of diabetes, as well as control Symptoms in diagnosed cases.

Decreases insulin resistance

Insulin resistance, also known as insulin resistance or insulin resistance, is a disease that causes cells to reject the normal mechanism of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas and essential for the regulation of glucose metabolism. Insulin resistance is associated with type 2 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body can not produce insulin, whereas in type 2 insulin production is not affected but cells can not process insulin. When cells become resistant to insulin, they are unable to absorb the glucose needed to provide them with energy, and unused glucose accumulates in the bloodstream, leading to hyperglycemia.

The authors of the 2013 study found that those who continued to use cannabis had an average insulin resistance of 1.8 compared to 2.2 of those who had consumed in the past and 2.5 of those who had never used cannabis. It was also found that those who continued to use cannabis had lower blood glucose levels compared to those who had consumed in the past and those who had never consumed. Those who continued to consume had mean blood glucose levels of 99.7 mg / dl compared with 100.6 mg / dl of those who had consumed in the past and 103.5 mg / dl of those who had never consumed. However, the exact mechanism by which cannabinoids exert their effects on insulin resistance has not been determined so far.

Cannabis use is associated with a smaller waist circumference 

Helps prevent obesity

Both obesity, high body mass index (BMI) and a large waist circumference are related to the risk of diabetes. A number of studies have been conducted on the relationship between cannabis use and BMI, with conflicting results. In a 2005 study of young adults, it was found that cannabis use was not related to changes in BMI, while two major studies at the national level found a lower BMI and lower levels of obesity in consumers Of cannabis despite consuming daily more than average number of calories.

Although the underlying mechanism behind the complex relationship between the endocannabinoid system, obesity and diabetes has not been established, a 2012 study showed that obese rats lost a considerable amount of weight and experienced a post-exposure weight gain of the pancreas To extractions of organic cannabis. Weight gain of the pancreas indicates that the beta cells of the pancreas (which are responsible for insulin production) are protected by the presence of cannabinoids. In type 1 diabetes, beta cells are destroyed by the autoimmune response, so providing them with protection can help control the disease.

May treat diabetes-induced neuropathy

People with diabetes often experience nervous disorders as a result of their illness. Damage to the nervous system often affects peripheral areas such as the hands and feet, but can occur in any organ or area of ​​the body. The damage may be asymptomatic, but in many cases, the disorder is accompanied by pain, tingling, and numbness. As with many forms of nerve pain, it may be difficult to treat diabetic neuropathy with conventional analgesics. However, there is evidence that cannabis can play a role here as well.

A study published in 2009 investigated the antinociceptive (pain-reducing) effects of cannabidiol extractions in cases of diabetes-induced neuropathy in rats. The authors found that repeated administration of CBD extractions "significantly alleviated" mechanical allodynia (painful response to non-painful stimuli) and restored normal pain perception without inducing hyperglycemia. The treatment was also found to protect the liver against oxidative stress (believed to be an important factor contributing to the development of neuropathy) and increased levels of nerve growth factor to normal levels.

However, so far, human studies have yielded less positive results. Also in 2009, a randomized controlled trial investigated the ability of the Sativex spray from GW Pharmaceuticals to ameliorate the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy induced by diabetes . Sativex or placebo was given to 30 subjects. Scores reflecting the pain scale improved considerably in all settings, but the effect of Sativex was not found to be significantly greater than that of placebo.

Can treat diabetic retinopathy

Up to 80% of patients with diabetes who have had the disease for more than a decade acquire a complication known as diabetic retinopathy (PDA), in which the cells of the retina are progressively damaged. In the USA. This disease accounts for about 12% of new cases of blindness each year.

Diabetic retinopathy is associated with glucose-induced rupture of the blood-retinal barrier, a network of tightly-connected cells that prevent unwanted substances from entering the retinal tissue. This decomposition causes neural tissue to be exposed to neurotoxins, in addition to increasing the likelihood of bleeding within the retina.

It is believed that proinflammatory and oxidative stress processes play a key role in the breakdown of retinal cells, and there is evidence that cannabidiol, with its known ability to combat both oxidative stress and Inflammation, may be useful in the treatment of disease. In a 2006 study published in the American Journal of Pathology , CDB was administered to diabetic rats and tests were performed to determine the rate of retinal cell death .

CBD treatment was shown to significantly reduce oxidative stress and neurotoxicity, including levels of tumor necrosis factor-a, a substance known to be involved in the inflammatory response.

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